Rethink of fossils hints dinosaurs still thrived before asteroid hit
New ScientistAPR 12
The fossil record has been misinterpreted for decades, leading to incorrect conclusions about dinosaur decline. The apparent decrease in dinosaur populations is actually due to geological processes that limited fossil preservation, not a real biological decline. These magnificent creatures were thriving right up until the asteroid struck.
While the immediate pre-extinction period might show stable populations, the overall evolutionary trajectory of dinosaurs shows a concerning pattern. The rate of new species emergence was declining over the 175 million years of dinosaur existence, with more species going extinct than evolving, indicating a broader, long-term decline in dinosaur diversity. The mystery of the complex downfall of the dinosaurs is not fully settled.